“Behold, I am Mormon…..I am a disciple of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God…” (3 Nephi
5:12,13, 20)
I don’t know that anyone in the Book of Mormon deserves
the title of the ‘disciple’ more than Mormon. Consider the meaning of what
being a disciple means:
“To be a true disciple [of Christ]…..is the most
demanding regimen known to man. No other disciple compares…in either
requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from
the state of the natural man to that of a saint, one who loves the Lord and
serves with all of his heart, might, mind and strength.” (Chauncey C. Riddle,
‘Becoming a Disciple’, Ensign Sept 1974, p 81)
A Christ’s disciple is someone who possesses absolute,
unrestrained devotion to His teachings and a sacrifice of all that is necessary
to maintain such a commitment. It is someone who is willing to take up his
cross and follow Him up the hill of their own Calvary for being a disciple of
Christ can bring to us a certain special suffering. Only the cross has the
power to transform us into the likeness
of Him whom we follow.
Consider the life of a man called Mormon, who was
faithful to the latter in one of the most evil societies that have ever
existed. A people who were so wicked that the Holy Ghost was entirely withheld
from them (Mormon 1:14); who 'willfully rebelled against their God' (Mormon
1:16); who, in their extremities 'cursed God and wished to die' (Mormon 2:14);
who were consumed with revenge (Mormon 3:9-10); who forcibly deprived women of
their virtue, killed them, and 'devoured their flesh like unto wild beasts'
(Moroni 9:10).
Not only did Mormon continue to love and serve his
people who had descended into the pit of hell and who refused to repent, but he
fought along-side them knowing they were doomed and when the Nephites went down
to complete destruction, he went down with them.
This alone is exemplary but the spiritual warrior within him is more so. His driving force should inspire us all the days of our lives to fight the battle to the end remembering the echo of his words to Moroni, his son: ”for we have a labour to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness…” (Moroni 9:6).
Is
this not being a disciple of Jesus Christ????
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: The Master's Call by Phil McKay)
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